“Dude, you gotta find something. I need this now.”

Romero promised he’d do his best and Sal hung up with him, the frustration weighing even heavier. Then he noticed he had a text—from Vincent.

He took a deep breath before reading it. The first part was Vincent’s text to Rose where he cleverly asked her if she was blowing him off and if she really needed to go with her sister and her new boyfriend to look for their new place.

Her first response, although she didn’t comment on the boyfriend inference or the “their place” comment, was somewhat reassuring. She said Grace didn’t like to spend that much time with him alone so she’d asked her to come with them. Sal stared at the rest of the text conversation feeling sick to his stomach.

Vince: ?? Why would she go out with someone she doesn’t like being alone with?

Rose: It’s complicated. All I can say is he’s going to a big part of our lives now.

Vince: Really? So it’s getting serious?

Rose: Something like that. We’re here I’ll ttyl!

Rose: Oh and remember don’t you dare say anything to Sal!

The last part of the text was from Vince addressed to Sal.

You better never tell Grace I forwarded you this. I already feel like I’m going straight to hell. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve assured her I would never pass on any info to you man! This is some bullshit! >=(

Sal stood there still staring at the text, his heart pounding in his chest. He’s going to be a big part of our lives now. What the hell did that mean?

CHAPTER 33

There was just too much excitement going on this weekend—that’s what Grace kept telling everyone—and herself. From her Friday night out to her long day Saturday with Frank. Though she didn’t admit that seeing Sofia had been the most detrimental to her already fragile state. It only confirmed what she already knew. That she was nowhere near even beginning to get over Sal.

Her tiresome day of house hunting Saturday had also taken its toll. The heat wasn’t helping matters either. It was no wonder why she kept having dizzy spells. Somehow she couldn’t convince anyone that she was fine. She’d just been a little winded yesterday when her head spun after getting out of Frank’s car and she had to hold on to the door for a few minutes before she could walk. She’d seen the fear in Rose’s face and no amount of reassuring could persuade her not to worry.

Frank had been there the entire weekend. Her mom had everything to do with that. She’d invited him back over on Sunday. Grace had been lying in bed still when her mother walked in to tell her.

“I was with him Friday night, and most of the day yesterday.” Grace argued. “I’m sorry I’m not spending today with him, too, mom. He’s gonna get the wrong idea. This is a business partnership and nothing more.”

“I know this and so does he, Grace. We’re just being hospitable.”

“Well I think he’s beginning to get the wrong idea.” She regretted now that Friday night she hadn’t protested when Frank slipped his hand into hers several times. It just didn’t seem like a big deal walking off and on the dance floor. “You can be hospitable for the both of us today. I’m going over to Joey and Taylor’s.” She sat up and immediately felt lightheaded. Shit.

She glanced over to where Rose sat on a bean bag in the corner of her room glad she was too engrossed in her texting to notice Grace needed a moment to focus while the room finally stood still for her.

Her mother was busy still rambling about why Grace should reconsider staying and hanging out with Frank for a least a little while but she didn’t want to hear it anymore. She stood up slowly and carefully, hoping Rose wouldn’t notice anything.

Seeing her mother cross her arms in a huff as she walked past her did nothing to slow her down. She was done with this conversation. The only good thing that had come of this weekend was that they finally narrowed their choices down to two restaurant/homes that both Grace and her mother agreed were acceptable. Both were in Chula Vista which meant Rose wouldn’t have to change schools.

The agreement with Frank had been that he’d help Grace and her mom get the restaurant going but eventually, once the restaurant took off, she and her mother would buy him out, leaving them the sole owners. Her mother still insisted that there were no ulterior motives and that Frank was doing this out of the kindness of his heart and a few years of extra profit brought in by the restaurant was incentive enough.

The fact that he was supposed to go back to Laughlin yesterday morning and he’d hung around a few extra days when talk of them spending the day together Saturday had come up, and now he’d happily agreed to coming over to spend yet another day with her instead of going back to check on his casino said it all. Besides Grace wasn’t blind. She’d seen from their very first night out, the way he’d looked at her. His gazes were becoming increasingly uncomfortable. And she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed it either. Taylor was very keen about noticing everything. Just like he’d noticed Sofia watching her at the nightclub, he also noticed and even asked if she thought it was wise to partner up with a man who was obviously interested in doing more than just business with her.

It got her thinking and it was one of the reasons why she was getting the heck out of there before Frank arrived. But not the only reason. She had something else she needed to finally face. Something that had crossed her mind a few times in the last week but she hadn’t allowed herself to seriously consider.